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Many readers have heard about Linux and its features (free, open source, secure, etc). However, many wonder is Linux for me?. The answer is maybe. If you are willing to learn and experiment you are on the path to enlightenment. Linux can be intimidating and frustrating at times, but do not fear. Thanks to a large community of volunteers, you have multiple choices which range from easy to install to complex. Additionally support from the open source community is great and free as well.

One of the more popular distributions of Linux on the Web today is Ubuntu. This Linux distribution can be used from a "live cd" which runs in your computer memory. Otherwise, you can install it on the computer's hard drive. If you have an older computer in the basement or closet, Ubuntu can bring new life to it.

Ubuntu includes many software packages. Some common packages include OpenOffice (MS Office compatible suite), Gimp (a photo editor) and several multimedia options. In a nutshell, you can do almost everything you do with Windows with Ubuntu Linux. The only drawback is compatibility with your current Windows third party software. However, there is a package named Wine which allows you to run Windows programs through a binary compatible layer. The performance is not the same but decent enough. A company named CodeWeavers has a commercial version of Wine which integrates nicely with many Linux distributions.

Using Linux is recommended to everyone even if you do not plan to use it on a daily basis. Linux is growing in use by leaps and bounds, now is the time to learn about it. Do not fear Linux is here!

Learn more about this author, Avelino Faria.
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